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Whether you’ve heard of it before the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or know what it’s doing, consumer advocates say that independent, bipartisan institutions have had a major impact on the lives of everyday Americans.
Consumer advocates say safety is under threat due to the proposal that President Donald Trump will remove government agencies and that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be responsible for overseeing the safety of more than 15,000 consumer products.
The move accepted an independent committee created by Congress and placed it under government agencies. This would allow supporters to not be legal and short-term political pressures and impacts from businesses to hinder protection, a representative from the consumer group said in an interview with media briefing on Wednesday and USA Today.
“This dangerously misguided proposal puts American families at greater risk in their own homes. It takes important data-driven safety rules to protect babies, children and adults across the country, and quickly exposes them to political whims.”
“The CPSC mission and independence are now under dire threat,” Wallace told USA Today.
What is the US Consumer Product Safety Commission?
The CPSC is an independent committee created by Congress in the 1970s and ensures that products sold in the United States are safe, Wallace said. The five commissioners will be appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent, but they cannot partner with the same parties.
“People in everyday life always come across the benefits of the CPSC standard,” Wallace said.
CPSC guarantees the safety of products imported from other countries in the United States, from lawn mowers to appliances to baby cribs, Wallace said.
In particular, for parents, CPSC helps to ensure that many of the products children use, such as cribs, strollers and toys, are safe “due to strong compulsory standards.”
“Everyone should care about this, and this is especially serious for parents because the Consumer Product Safety Commission plays a big role in keeping your child safe, whether you know or not,” he said.
What was the media briefing?
Consumer Report, Consumer Federation of America, several consumer groups in the National Consumer League will take on media briefings at Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois) on April 30, condemning the potential removal of Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), a member of the Commercial, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee.
A draft HHS budget proposal has emerged from the Office of Management and Budget reporting directly to the President. That budget indicates the elimination of CPSC and the obligation to move to a new division with HHS.
The proposal is still in the form of a draft, but consumer advocates say they are worried and have seen other budget items get approved quickly.
The budget is a demand for Congress, Wallace said, “But we saw a move by this administration pretending that Congress doesn’t exist,” he told USA Today.
Rachel Corey, communications director for the White House Office of Management and Budget, told USA Today:
Children are safer due to CPSC, advocates say
Brett Horn founded Charlie’s home in Kansas City, Missouri after his 2-year-old son was killed when he tried to climb a dresser at home. CPSC’s work has improved the safety of the furniture since Charlie’s death, Horn said during a media briefing.
“Your child is safer for CPSC,” Horn said. “They provide essential services to American citizens and ensure that our home products are safe, especially in today’s marketplace, where consumers buy a lot of unregulated products online and from overseas.”
Blumenthal said he was writing to Russell Vote, Director of Management and Budget, to tell him that “there is no way to responsibly abolish this institution or blend it together.” Blumenthal encouraged other members of Congress to face the safety of their products as well.
“There’s no such thing as red or blue defects or dangerous products,” he said.
Supporters during the media briefing encouraged consumers to call members of Congress.
“The Trump administration’s proposal will not be reorganized, not reorganized, and will eradicate the eradication of household goods safety in our country,” said Daniel Green, senior director of consumer protection and product safety policy for the National Consumer League. ”
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“It does not improve government efficiency, it does not improve government effectiveness. It only leads to more unnecessary deaths and unnecessary injuries,” he said.
Greene said the Trump administration “must abandon this dangerous proposal and ensure that the CPSC has the appropriate tools, resources and staff needed to carry out its life-saving mission.”
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA Today. Contact her at blinfisher @usatoday.com or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @Blinfisher, @Blinfisher.bsky.social.. Sign up for our free daily money newsletter. This includes Friday’s Consumer News.
